It's All About the Bread

#42 Potato, Cheddar, and Chive Torpedo

2011-02-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

A Bit Misshapen, but Oh, So Tasty!

Close-Up of the Pockets of Cheese

A Little Still Life

Cheese spilling out of the loaf - yum!

#41 Whole Wheat Bread

2011-02-03T12:55:00.001-08:00

Whole Wheat Bread

It has been a while, admittedly, but as I recall, many of my fellow BBA bakers were not exactly crazy about this particular bread, so I was somewhat wary as I approached it. Much to my surprise, though I loved it! I should probably state, however, that I do love whole grain breads. In fact, one reason it took me so long to finish the challenge was that I kept taking detours back to my favorite whole wheat bread.

This is at least equal with that bread; in fact, it may possibly have edged it out a bit, because it has such great flavor.

#40 - White Bread

2011-01-16T03:15:00.001-08:00

Sourdough Baguettes and White Bread Shaped into Dinner Rolls

This white bread recipe was decidedly better than my first white bread recipe, which was my first bread-baking attempt some 38 years ago. This recipe made wonderful rolls. I made them for my birthday party in November. They went very well with the turkey meatballs and sauce. After the party, we froze those that were left. That was a great idea, and since they thawed out so quickly, whenever I wanted a fresh roll, I just popped one into the microwave for a few seconds and had fresh hot bread at a moment's notice. Wonderful!

While I vastly prefer whole wheat bread, if I need basic white bread, this will be my go-to recipe.

In the Oven

The Finished Rolls

# 39 Vienna Bread

2011-01-16T03:02:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous!

Yes, these loaves of Vienna bread are absolutely beautiful, but far too sweet for my taste. The little boys next door loved them though. I like my bread to taste like bread, not cake. The Tuscan bread was similar, but had that great Italian flavor, much more to my liking.

Beauty

The Finished Loaves

#38 - Tuscan Bread

2011-01-11T22:30:00.001-08:00

This time, the beauty of the loaf matches the texture and the flavor - fabulous!

I am currently re-reading the first section of Elizabeth Gilbert's great book, Eat Pray Love, in which the author spends four months in Italy learning how to live life the Italian way - in pursuit of "Il bar far niente," in English, "The beauty of doing nothing." Although she doesn't exactly do nothing - she eats - and writes about what she eats - quite well. Almost as well as Steinbeck writes about food.

This bread, in my imagination, has me sitting in a trattoria in Rome or in Florence, ripping off a chunk to accompany a lovely pasta with a robust tomato sauce, redolent with garlic and herbs. It is a somewhat salty loaf, which somehow translates to Tuscany in my nascent Italian vocabulary.

A great loaf, and since I cook a lot of Italian food, I imagine this one gracing my bread basket many, many times.

The Close-Up

The Finished Loaves

# 37 - Swedish Limpa

2011-01-11T21:58:00.000-08:00

Looks good, I know. But its good looks belie its flavor.

This one was just okay. Not stellar, by any rating scale - just okay. I had one slice and gave the rest away. But with 43 breads, they can't all be winners like the Poilane style miche, which, by the way two weeks later - thawed from the freezer - still makes the best toast - ever.

The Extreme Close-up

The Finished Loaf

#36 - Stollen

2011-01-07T12:16:00.001-08:00

Perhaps not a perfect crescent moon shape, but one of the tastiest breads in the challenge.

Now I admit I was not looking forward to making this bread. First of all, it has an ingredient in it that I have detested since childhood - that nasty candied fruit that they put in fruitcake. When I was a kid, the only cake my mother made from scratch was fruitcake. I would get so excited that she was baking, and the ingredients looked so good and smelled so good. And then I would bite into it and be absolutely crestfallen with disappointment - due to - yes, that nasty candied fruit.

I dragged my feet on making bread, but time was running out - my deadline was looming - so I decided to take a leap and use dried cherries instead. I soaked them in rum, used toasted slivered almonds, orange and lemon extracts, and orange zest, and I now had one of my favorite breads in the challenge! It is wonderful hot right out of the oven; the next day; the day after - and makes absolutely spectacular toast.

I will make this bread again and again.

Oh - and I didn't see any reason to use the powdered sugar - it is perfect without it.

In the Oven

The Finished Loaf

# 35 - Sunflower Seed Rye

2011-01-07T10:03:00.001-08:00

The Finished Loaves

Looks pretty good, doesn't it? Ah, but we all know how looks can deceive, and to my mind and taste buds, there was deception here. This was my least favorite bread in the whole challenge. Not crazy about the flavor; and the texture left me cold - too soft. Oh well ... On to the next ...

"The Single Loaf - Put a Ring on It"

Sorry, couldn't resist : )

#34 - Pumpernickel

2011-01-07T09:48:00.001-08:00

The Finished Loaves

The Pumpernickel was very similar to the 100% Rye that I made into the baguette shapes. This bread was okay, but I prefer the 100% Rye because of its texture, and, like the Rye, it was better with cheese.

I have forever sought to make the dark, dark pumpernickel that my mom and I used to order with a delicious minestrone at a now defunct restaurant in Laguna Beach, California, called That Place Across from The Hotel Laguna. That pumpernickel was the color of dark chocolate, with a crisp crust, a relatively soft crumb and a tangy flavor, undoubtedly enhanced with sourdough and caraway seeds. I have never found a recipe for that bread. It never comes out dark enough, in spite of using copious amounts of dark chocolate and molasses. Perhaps they used food coloring of some sort?

The pursuit continues ...

Another View

And Yet Another View

#33 - Poilane-Style Miche

2011-01-07T08:32:00.001-08:00

Book Cover - Bread Baker's Apprentice

My Version

I love this bread! It is definitely in my top three. Now, Monsieur Poilane's bread is famous - no legendary. I have read about it - first in Bernard Clayton's great book, The Breads of France, and often, since then, in a wide variety of publications from travel books to food magazines to cookbooks. I have even eaten some of Poilaine's bread, which was flown in from Paris to San Francisco - but never have I had the temerity to attempt to make this iconic bread until today.

It was surprisingly easy, and though the author says not to mix it in the stand mixer, I gave it a try, and it worked fine. Let's hear it for the trusty Kitchen Aid - mine isn't even the big one.

When that loaf came out of the oven - so impressively huge and well-risen, I was ecstatic. It filled my house with that tangy sourdough aroma and the taste - well - unbelievable - great flavor - perfect texture - with an amazing crust. This may just be the perfect bread!

Well done, Peter. You mastered Poilane's formula.

See the crackles on the crust? That happened after it came from the oven - crackled in the cold early morning air - a lovely sound.

I like the lights in this picture - the glow from the lamp to the left and the Christmas tree to the right.

View from Above

Three-Quarter Angle

#32 - 100% Sourdough Rye Bread

2010-12-30T04:18:00.000-08:00

Once again, I was skeptical, and once again, I was proven wrong. When I read this recipe, or "formula," as Peter Reinhart calls it, I thought no way; this will never work - not enough gluten - it won't rise; it will be too heavy, and on and on. Well, rye flour doesn't have a lot of gluten, but it did rise - not as well as its cousin, white flour, but rise it did.

The final loaves were not the typical looking baguette. Heavier and denser than the baguette made using white flour, I carefully cut a thin slice and tasted it, and it was okay - just okay. But then I remembered bread's old friend, cheese. I cut a thin slice of a New Zealand Cheddar, and put it on top of the bread. The affinity of the bread and the cheese is one of those mysterious twists when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Alone, the bread is okay. Alone the cheese is good. But combining the two makes a happy explosion of flavor and texture in the mouth - one that is not to be missed.

The Finished Loaves

Risen and Ready for the Oven

In the Oven

And There They Are

#31 - New York Deli Rye

2010-12-30T04:02:00.000-08:00

Triple Beauties - Looking Good and Tasting Just as Good

I have always loved a good rye bread. I love it toasted with poached eggs on top. I love it toasted with jam on it. I love it as the wrapper for a good sandwich. But I have never been able to make a good rye bread. And I have tried. Many times have I tried, but it never has that distinctive deli rye flavor - until now. This one has the flavor - and it has the texture. The caraway seeds are the final touch which gives it that authenticity. I will make this again and again.

#30 - Basic Sourdough Bread

2010-12-29T02:33:00.001-08:00

There is sourdough, and there is Peter Reinhart's formulas for sourdough. I have made sourdough breads for over 30 years. I have used those silly "tourist" packages one gets from Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. I have grown the starter using organic champagne grapes and organic flour from the specialty natural foods store - and never with great results. Sometimes, they were bricks; sometimes they were gummy and raw; and sometimes they were just flat and lifeless. Not so with Peter's formulas.

Starting with the basic sourdough formula here, I chose to bake these into baguettes for my birthday party dinner, which was my 60th birthday - the theme of which was 60 and Fabulous! and the bread was lived up to that theme. I still like the French baguettes slightly better, but this formula was a darned close second. Great flavor; great texture. I will make these again - definitely.

From my 60th - and Fabulous! birthday party. Used for dipping into the sauce part of Dorothy's meatballs and sauce.

The Firm Starter

Kneaded and Ready to Rise

I finally had someone there to take a picture of the famed "windowpane." It was fun to get to that point.

In the Oven

Behold the Sourdough Baguette!

#29 - Pugliese

2010-12-29T02:08:00.001-08:00

Back from a very long hiatus. Did not bake from the challenge since before summer. But I have decided to finish this challenge by the end of 2010, which was about one week from the day I actually baked this. I think I'm going to reach my goal. It is 2:30 a.m., Wednesday, December 29th, as I write this, and I only have the last two breads to go. I'll be writing furiously too. Stay tuned to see what I have planned next. : )

Pugliese - funny name - good bread - not great, but good. Mine did not come out at all like the picture in the book. I think it's because I didn't use the semolina flour and opted instead for the bread flour. This bread had great rising power and was wonderful right out of the oven, but became pretty dry pretty quickly. I have a loaf to my daughter, who planned to make French toast with it. Haven't heard back from her yet as to results, but I am guessing it made outstanding French toast, due to the slight dryness - great for soaking up the custard-like batter.

The Finished Loaves - Twin Beauties - Again

Fully Kneaded - Ready for the Rise

And Now Ready for the Oven

What a Gorgeous Loaf!

#28 - Potato Rosemary Bread

2010-12-29T01:07:00.001-08:00

What a delicious bread! The combination of the roasted garlic and the rosemary really added tremendous flavor to this delightful loaf. It is a winner; one that I will make again and again. And having the biga already in the fridge is a real help. Confession: sometimes I don't even take the chill of the starter. Ever since making the Pain l'Ancienne, with its cold everything, I figured using the cold starter would be okay, and it was.

Twin Beauties

The Finished Loaf

#27 - Portuguese Sweet Bread

2010-12-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

I am 100% Portuguese. Family lore says that sometime in the 1860s, or thereabouts, my ancestors went from the Azores, off the coast of Portugal, to Hawaii with Captain James Cook's missionaries on their honeymoon - "on a lark." My

parents, brother and I were born in Hawaii and moved to San Diego in February of 1953.

And here we are - "Coming to America" - from left to right - my brother Al, me, my Dad Al, my mom Olga, and my Grandma Rocha. Look how dressed up we were! That's how people dressed to travel back in the day. This photo was taken at the Honolulu airport just before we left to move here permanently. Thanks to my bro for being the family historian and digging this treasure out.

There is also a large Portuguese population in San Diego, but I was not raised in or around that culture. It was the 50s - a time of assimilation - so I had very little exposure to my heritage - except for the occasional "Festa" (pronounced feshta). The year 2010 marked the 100th anniversary of the Festa, and so I decided to go. As I walked up to see the dancers - a huge draw for the day's festivities - they were dancing the "Chamarita," a Portuguese folk dance that is inherent in some of my fondest memories of my beloved Grandma Rocha. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did both.

Coincidentally, the bread that came up for that week's rotation was the Portuguese sweet bread, which i had just made the night before. Something so comforting when the universe is in order like that.

My photo essay that follows is of the Festa experience as well as my journey to Poruguese sweet bread land.

Two of the dancers from Northern California who travel from Festa to Festa dancing the Chamarita and other traditional Portuguese folk dances. They have day jobs; they just do this for fun. Made me want to learn this dance from my childhood memories. And by the way, their arms are over their heads during the entire dance. No need to work out any more than this.

And here I am with two of the dancers. They were very friendly - and great dancers.

This troupe had the best costumes - by far. Their partners matched the colors with their own costumes. They looked great!

This group had traveled down from San Leandro, where there is a huge Portuguese population. The woman directly to my right was so friendly, and in true Portuguese style - loved to talk. We were a great pair!

And now onto the bread: Fresh out of the oven, this was a winner, but as soon as it cooled, it was pretty dry. I have had this experience before, and I am not quite sure why this happens, but no matter. I made bread pudding the next day with the leftovers, and it was outstanding! I imagine it would make fantastic French toast too, for the same reason.

The Finished Loaf

Kneaded, and Ready to Rise

Read for the Oven

In the Oven

Voila!

#26 - Poolish Baguettes

2010-12-28T18:18:00.001-08:00

These poolish baguettes were okay - just okay. The original French baguettes were far and away superior. I even gave up my old recipe for baguettes, which I had been using for over 20 years for those baguettes - so these had a tough act to follow. In the future, when I want to make baguettes, I'll opt for the non-poolish ones.

The Finished Baguettes

Nice Action from the Poolish

Ready for the Oven

#25 - Pizza Napoletana

2010-12-28T17:59:00.001-08:00

I have made homemade pizza before, but it was never as good as this one, nor was it as easy to make. Thank you, Peter for this wonderful recipe. I now keep the dough in the freezer, so I can have a much healthier, low-fat pizza whenever I want it.

My version of Hawaiian pizza - pineapple and turkey bacon.

I don't eat beef, so I make turkey meatballs, which I used for this wonderful version.

In the oven.

The finished pizza - cooling.

Hawaiian pizza ready for the oven.

#24 - Panettone

2010-12-09T12:34:00.000-08:00

This bread was such a surprise to me. I didn't think I would like it - too much like fruitcake, I thought. Was I wrong! And it was our turn for breakfast the next day, so my lucky colleagues got to feast on this delectable bread. And the reviews were stellar - they gobbled it up in no time at all, which is always so gratifying.

I preferred the smaller shape; like cupcake, but better, because it was bread. : )

Here are the steps start to finish:

The dough being mixed.

The fruit mixture, consisting of dried cherries and raisins.

Combining the fruit with the dough.

Post kneading, first in the mixer, then by hand; ready to rise.

Ready for the oven.

In the oven - one large plus six smaller ones.

Out of the oven - the small ones.

The finished Panettone.

#23 - Pane Siciliano

2010-05-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Finished Product

This was another of those interesting breads that I probably never would have made were it not for this challenge. And the truth is, I will most likely not make it again. It was all right, and it made great toast, but there are so many other breads in this challenge that are far superior. So this was fun, and the shape was not nearly as difficult as I though it would be, and I'm glad I had the experience, but if given a choice, I'd make the Pain L'Ancienne again and again over this one.

#22 - Pain de Campagne

2010-05-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Look at the Crackle on that Crust!

"Bread of the Country" - remininscent of good peasant bread they probably ate during medieval times. If that is the case, take me back in time - no wait - I would have had to bake this bread in a wood burning hearth. Perhaps it is the best of both worlds that we can bake in our thermostatically accurate ovens, and still have the flavor and experience of the chewy crumb and crunchy crust of this flavorful bread.

#21 - Pain L'Ancienne

2010-02-22T12:41:00.000-08:00

Pain L'Ancienne

What a fantastic bread! They just keep getting better and better. I was very skeptical about this method. I thought Peter had flipped out on us - ice water? First rise in the fridge? This will never work. Was I ever wrong! Is there a theme building here over the last few posts?

I said to myself, "Oh, well, what the heck? I'm committed to this project; let's see what happens. I dutifully mixed the dough - yes - with the ice water, thinking all the while, un, hmmm - sure Pete - I was somewhat surprised at the resulting dough, but did not think too much about it. I was more concerned trying to find room in my fridge for the bowl with the rising dough inside.

Didn't think a thing about it the rest of the night or the next day at work. When I got home from a particularly long day at 9:00 (!), I remembered I had that bread to deal with. I took it out to de-chill, and to my surprise, it had risen quite well.

Now, while I live in San Diego, let me dispel a myth right now - it does rain and it does get cold - okay maybe only for the blink of an eye, but it does, and it was that night. I thought it was way too cold for this to ever de-chill, but I set it on the counter and busied myself with a project upstairs in my home office. At about 11:00, I remembered the bread. When I went downstairs to shape it, I thought, hmmm, this may not be so bad after all. As I began to shape it, I began to see the potential for this bread. What a fantastic dough! It had a wonderful springiness to it. I decided to be a heretic, though, and formed it into a hearth loaf, rather than baguettes. I simply wasn't in the mood for baguettes; with all this winter chill, I wanted a big, round, earthy hearth loaf. As I shaped it, though, I noticed it gave me difficulty in securing the bottom of the loaf. I rounded it the best I could, placed it on a parchment-lined sheet pan onto which I had sprinkled a good amount of finely ground cornmeal. I covered it with an impeccably clean kitchen towel, preheated the oven to 500 degrees, set the timer and went back to my project upstairs.

For anyone interested, my project was printing out and binding into book form poetry and commentaries on their writing experiences that my 7th grade students had written. They did such a fantastic job on this, that I decided to gift them with their own copy of the book.

When I checked on the bread later, it was as I had anticipated. It did not rise high and round, but rather like a large pancake with a small mound on top.

My Pathetic "Pancake"

Oh, just get it in the oven, already, I thought. I had set a pan on the bottom shelf, and I went through the motions of steaming the oven for hearth baking - pouring a cup of hot water into the pan just as the bread went in; dousing the oven walls with water every 30 seconds thereafter for 90 seconds, set the timer, and went back upstairs. I know. How cheeky of me to leave the bread unattended! But when I came back about 20 minutes later, to my astonishment and delight, the bread had risen like the phoenix.

In the Oven

My "pancake" had risen to a tall and majestically round loaf, brown and gorgeous. I turned the oven down to 475 and let it go another 10 - 15 minutes. When I returned again, it looked done, but when I checked the internal temperature, it wasn't even at 100 degrees yet, and the thermometer came out with a big glob of wet dough on it. Uh, oh, I thought. I was afraid of this. Since the original recipe was for baguettes, and the dough was rather wet, I had anticipated that this might be problematic. I turned the oven way down to 300 degrees and checked every 10 minutes until the temp registered 207 degrees. I don't even know how much longer that took, but it was at least another 30 minutes.

The Finished Loaf - What a Beauty!

By now it was 2:00 a.m., and I had to go to work in just a few short hours, so I photographed the loaf, and let it sit on the rack overnight. For the first time since this challenge began, I did not slice into the loaf and taste it fresh and hot from the oven.

In the morning, however, I sliced off a piece and was stunned to see the most perfect crumb I have seen yet coming from a loaf of my bread in the 35+ years that I have been baking bread. Of course, I spread a little butter on it, and - well - it was amazing! It had a completely different taste and texture from other breads.

A Moist and Delicious Crumb - and Fantastic Toast!

Peter, my hat's off to you, and I will never doubt your methods again. You are the master. Of course, the real question is why would I doubt anyone who dreamed up the phrase, "Slow rise as metaphor?" It is magical; it is mystical; it is a metaphor. Oh, and it is mighty tasty too. The flavors must have married well and had some mystical fermentation magic going on in my fridge overnight, but we won't go there.

#20 - Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire

2010-02-20T15:11:00.000-08:00

Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire - And It Is!

Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire is a version of Peter Reinhart's signature bread, known as Struan. I had read about Struan in his first book, Brother Juniper's Bread Book: Slow Rose as Metaphor and was intrigued, so I made it. It was just okay. Now several years later, when I read about Struan again in another of Peter's books, Bread upon the Waters, I was eager to give it another go. Included in the collection in The Bread Baker's Apprentice, this bread is his latest incarnation of that signature bread, which PR states from countless testimonials from customers makes "the best toast in the world."

If you have read other entries in this blog, you know that toast is of utmost importance in my life, so I was eager to begin. I followed the recipe to the letter beginning first with the soaker:

Cornmeal, Oats, Wheat Bran, and Water

Adding the next ingredients:

Flour, Brown Sugar, Salt, and Yeast

Combining the soaker to the mixture:

Soaker Added to Mixture Above with the Addition of Cooked Brown Rice, Honey, & Buttermilk

Kneading in my trusty Kitchen Aid:

Preliminary Kneading in the Mixer

I finished the kneading by hand. This is where the artistry comes in:

Kneaded Dough: Notice the Texture

I left it to rise:

After the First Rise

De-gassed it:

De-gassed Dough

Left it to rise again:

After Second Rise

Shaped it into a boule:

Shaped Dough, Ready for the Oven

Baked it to a little more than 190 degrees:

In the Oven: Look at that Rise!

Cut into it after the requisite 30 minute tortuous wait:

Great Texture - Great Crumb

Voila!:

A Truly Extraordinary Bread Lives up to Its Name

And I am happy to report that those early customers of Peter's at Brother Juniper's Bakery in Sonoma, CA, were right. This does make extraordinary toast!

# 19 - Marbled Rye

2010-02-17T13:45:00.000-08:00

The Finished Loaf - A Gentle Differentiation of Hue

The marbled rye bread was one of the most interesting breads thus far. I did not get the color differentiation that Peter did in his illustrations in the book. I did not use the caramel coloring; rather I used the cocoa, which, clearly, was not dark enough. In the future, I will try the caramel coloring and continue to add the dark until it is the color I want it to be.

Now on the subject of caraway seeds: I have found that people either love them or hate them, which I find interesting. I am in the love them camp. In fact, a few years ago, I finally gathered my courage and added them to a recipe for Irish soda bread. I know! I was aghast too, the first time I saw this as an ingredient in this traditional non-yeasted loaf. In trying to be as authentic as possible, though, I gave it a go and was pleasantly surprised to find that they were a wonderful addition to this afternoon tea accompaniment. I find the caraway to lend a bit of a sweet taste. I took this bread to the other 7th grade teachers on my team for our Friday morning collaboration meeting, and this is where I learned of the great divide. While most were ecstatic to have freshly baked bread, butter, and jam to munch on in the early morning hours of our meeting, there were a couple of teachers who politely said no thanks specifically because of the caraway.

My mother loved this bread, stating that this was her absolute favorite so far and wanted to "hire" me to make it for her on an ongoing basis. I don't know that I would go that far, but it did make great toast!

The Light and the Dark - No Really - The One on the Left is Darker - Sort Of

Fully Risen Dark Half

Fully Risen Light Half

Ready for the Oven

In the Oven

Hot Out of the Oven

Close-up of the Finished Loaf

#18 - Light Wheat Bread

2010-02-17T12:58:00.000-08:00

The Finished Loaf Still in the Pan

I am several posts behind in my blogging at this point, and consequently several breads ahead. This light wheat bread is the demarkation for me from the breads going from really good to absolutely fabulous for the next few breads.

I found this bread to be a perfect blend of whole wheat to white flours in terms of taste and texture. Prior to this challenge, I had been making whole wheat breads exclusively, so I have some experience with the challenges of whole wheat flour. While there is a distinct difference in the results between breads using exclusively white flour and whole wheat flour, I believe it is a matter of taste and acclimation. When I first started this challenge, I found myself craving a toothsome hearty slice of my favorite whole wheat country bread, which uses a biga starter and all whole wheat flour (that I grind myself using an electric grain mill, not the hand crank type - I already work out with weights - I don't need any more upper body muscle building).

I was delighted with the results of this bread. Normally, I prefer all white or all whole wheat, but this bread had the best of both: the height and lightness of white, with a hint of whole wheat earthiness. And it made excellent toast - the true test for me.

A Truly Outstanding Loaf of Bread!

Is That not a Great Crumb?

The Perfect Slice

#17 - Lavash Crackers

2010-02-03T12:39:00.000-08:00

Lavash Crackers with Kosher Salt

In February of 2008, I took my first bread-making class, from, of course, Peter Reinhart. Of all the breads we made that evening, the crackers were the standout. And these lavash crackers were almost as good as those, but then it is hard to replicate a memory, isn't it?

The only challenge that I worried about was rolling out the dough so that it would be thin enough. I was right to worry. While the end result was not bad, the few that were rolled a bit thinner, were more like a cracker than pita bread. I only used Kosher salt as the topping, and even then only on part of the dough. I liked them both. Next time, I will roll the dough in two batches, which I think will make it easier to achieve a thinner and therefore more crackerlike result.

Before breaking into shards.

I love the irregular shapes. They're like shards of cracker.

Lavash Crackers - The Finished Product

#16 - Kaiser Rolls

2010-01-22T11:11:00.000-08:00

Look! Kaiser Rolls! Homemade, Hand-formed Kaiser Rolls! Amazing!

In all my years of bread baking, not once did it ever occur to me to make Kaiser Rolls. Sure, I’ve bought them at the bakery from time to time when making uptown turkey or veggie burgers, but make them? It never even entered my consciousness to try.

But along comes the BBA Challenge, and voila, here I am, making Kaiser Rolls. I must confess, though, this was one of those formulas that I thought I had to “get through” to move on to more interesting breads. So I went about mixing and kneading the dough, let it rise, shaped them (which took some practice) set them for their final rise, and baked them.

I had friends over for dinner that evening, and we all let a whoop and a holler when we saw them come out of the oven. They actually looked like Kaiser Rolls! As always, though, the real test is the flavor. These were amazing! They were everything one could possible want in a dinner roll – great flavor and texture. When one of my dinner guests went back for seconds, I knew I had a winner.

The next day, I made paninis with the leftover rolls. Even better! I used smoked turkey from the deli counter, provolone, sliced tomato, and fresh basil. Fabulous!

In the Oven

Close-up While Still in the Oven

The Finished Product – They Weren’t Around Long!

#15 - Italian Bread

2010-01-09T10:39:00.001-08:00

Italian Bread

I found this bread to be almost identical to the French bread, with the French edging past with superior flavor. I attribute that to the pate fermentee vs. the biga. I find that interesting, though, since one of my favorite "go to" breads is from Martha Rose Shulman and relies on a biga. (It is her Whole Wheat Country Bread from her latest book, Mediterranean Harvest.) After comparing the French with the Italian, I think I'll stick with the French.

After Rising - Ready for the Oven

In the Oven

Check Out That Texture!

#14 - French Bread

2010-01-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

The French Bread

Many years ago, I was baking several breads from Bernard Clayton's wonderful tome, The Complete Book of Breads. During this time, Mr. Clayton (the Peter Reinhart of his time) returned from an extended journey throughout France, where he visited countless bread bakers learning their trade secrets. The outcome of this journey was the publication of his great masterpiece, The Breads of France. I baked several different versions of our beloved French bread during those years, finally choosing one to call my own. It was Monsieur Monfort's French bread, and I believe it was from the Complete Book of Breads.

I made this bread so many times over the years I have long since lost count. I became somewhat famous, at least among my family and friends. In fact, my then sisters-in-law said that I was making them look bad by having this amazing bread coming out of my oven on a regular basis. My two children grew up on this bread, and it is as much a part of their childhood memories as their favorite books and toys.

When I read that this challenge would include a French bread, I sniffed with disdain. Why would I need to make this, I wondered, when I already had perfected this fabulous formula?

I am happy to say that I was wrong. When this bread came out of the oven, with its deep, golden-hued crust, it literally crackled as it met the cool air outside of the blast-furnace oven temperature of 500 degrees. And the flavor is far and away superior to my previous formula. I think it is the extra step of making the pre-ferment. It gives just a hint of added flavor without it tasting like sourdough. Not that there's anything at all wrong with that tart, pungent quality in a good sourdouch loaf, but that is not French bread, whereas this is.

This was so amazing that I made it again for my birthday party in November. At first my daughter, who grew up eating the now iconic Monsieur Monfort's bread, was skeptical. "Nothing could be as good as your 'old' French bread, Mom." Later, though, she changed her mind, reluctantly agreeing that this current formula yielded a superior loaf. Everyone at the party concurred, and even though they all know about this project of mine, they were still amazed at this fantastic bread.

Here I am with my daughter, Cate, at my birthday party.

Dough - Ready for Shaping

Pinching the seam of the underside of the baguette helps to seal it.

The formed baguettes before rising.

The Risen Loaves Ready for the Oven

In the Oven

The Trio of Baguettes
Look at that crackling, golden crust!

#13 - Focaccia

2009-12-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

The Finished Focaccia

Before it became the trendy rage it is now, I played around with some recipes trying to make what was then a bizarre, foreign-sounding bread. But was it bread, or was it cake? Sometimes it was hard to tell. One recipe in particular from the Frugal Gourmet days (anyone remember him?) looked like a fluffy cake with tomato paste on top. Very strange visual, but a decent bread.

While that initial attempt may have been tasty, this focaccia was fantastic! First of all, it looked like focaccia. Since my early attempts, it seemed like everywhere I went for a sandwich, one could find the ubiquitous focaccia as one of the bread options. This was a welcome change from the standard sub roll, so I was eager to make this bread when I saw it coming up on the BBA list.

When I finally made it, I was not disappointed. It was delicious! I was a little worried when I saw all that olive oil called for in the recipe, but as Peter Reinhart assured us, it was all absorbed into the dough lending its silky texture to the finished loaf.

That's a Lot of Olive Oil!

After five minutes, most of the olive oil has been absorbed!

In the Oven

The Finished Loaf Hot Out of the Oven

The finished loaf was unbelievable! It was great just as is; did not need any further embellishments. I could not resist, however making a killer panini the next day. I used provolone, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil. It was fantastic and the perfect accompaniment to my favorite soup - Rachael Ray's Broccoli Rabe Soup with Beans and Italian Turkey Sausage. That may just be one of my all-time favorite meals!

#12 - English Muffins

2009-11-09T15:58:00.000-08:00

The Magnificent English Muffin

Just Look at Those Beauties!

In 1988, when my son, Matthew, was but a toddler and I a stay-at-home mom, I had a very small baking business, which consisted of one order. But that one order was a tall one: two gross per week of my stellar English muffins that had delighted my friends and family. And just like the episode of the I Love Lucy Show where her friends and family convince Lucy she should prepare and market "Aunt Martha's Old-Fashioned Salad Dressing," my business was born.

It was great fun! I baked twice a week, and while the paycheck was small, I derived a great deal of satisfaction from the act of the baking itself as well as knowing other people were enjoying these marvelous treats. My family was happy because there were always English muffins in the larder, and they got the added bonus of my homemade strawberry jam to spread on top.

The best story of all, though, involved our beloved Julia Child. Most of us who consider cooking and baking an avocation were inspired and influenced by Julia. During my English muffin phase, Julia's The Way to Cook was published. She came to town for a book signing. I could not believe my luck! I was going to get a chance to meet the icon herself! I arranged for a sitter for my son, by now, two years old, and took my older child, Cate, with me to meet her. Naturally, I tucked a box of English muffins under my arm. Included in the box was a note to Julia handwritten from me telling me how much I admired her style, how much she had inspired me, and that "I am the cook I am today because of you."

Meeting Julia was a kick! She was exactly as she appeared to be: affable, charming, and fun-loving. She patted the box of muffins not unlike I had seen her pat that awful monkfish on one of her PBS TV shows, saying, or should I say (her descriptor) warbling, "Oh boy! Goody- goody gumdrops. Homemade English muffins! I'm so glad to see a small cottage industry like this."

As you can imagine, I floated out of the bookstore and had to take a walk around the village of La Jolla for a while before I trusted myself to drive. Though only six at the time, my daughter, who had watched Julia with me since she could remember, was also very excited to meet this larger than life persona.

A few weeks later, I was stunned to find a letter from Julia herself in my mailbox. In it, she asked me how I got the muffins to be cooked all the way through without burning them. Can't you just see my jaw dropping? I answered her letter, explaining my procedure, and she answered that letter too! What a down-to-earth gracious woman. And, of course, I still have both letters.

Nearly 20 years later, when Julia died, it was my daughter, Cate, who called to tell me. It was as if a favorite aunt had died; we were both grief-stricken.

All of that is to say that I never would have tried my hand with this bread were it not for this challenge. I thought I had the perfect formula, but I was wrong. This one far surpasses it! The crust is better, the crumb superb, and the taste unparalleled. I think the breakthrough that Peter Reinhart discovered was the final baking in the oven after their preliminary dance on the griddle. Brilliant! That one little procedure eliminates the problem of the English muffin baking experience. Even if they are just a tad underdone, there is only one thing to do - deposit them directly into the trash and start over. If you try to cook them further, they become dry and tough. This method is foolproof, especially using the thermometer to test the interior temperature, as he also recommends.

I made two batches - one using white flour and the other using half whole wheat. While I liked the whole wheat, the muffins using white flour exclusively were superior in taste. This will be my go to formula for this bread from now on, and while I no longer bake these for profit, I still make them from time to time.

Whole Wheat Muffins Rising

Both Varieties Cooling on the Racks

#11 - Cranberry Walnut Celebration Bread

2009-11-09T14:11:00.000-08:00

Everything a Celebratory Bread Should Be

The name really says it all for this bread. Peter Reinhart's commentary in the opening remarks for this bread says that he was trying to celebrate all the great tastes of Thanksgiving. I'd say he succeeded. I am looking forward to making this bread again for our Thanksgiving table. I was thinking of making it into small dinner rolls, but presenting a big loaf at the table is so impressive on this holiday of grandeur, that I may end up with the original round loaf again.

When I made this bread, I made it for the express purpose of surprising my colleagues at our Friday morning meeting. We're all 7th grade teachers of language arts and social studies, so I thought it would be a welcome respite before the onslaught of pre-pubescent heaving bodies who would be crashing through our doors eager to see what fascinating learning would await them.

I showed up with this beautiful loaf, a cutting board, my Wusthof bread knife, good Irish butter, and Sarabeth's Kitchen peach-apricot jam. Were they happy! They loved the bread plain; they loved the bread with the butter; they loved the bread with the jam. And who could blame them? Studded with dried cranberries and walnuts, and laced with orange zest, this was a spectacular loaf, indeed worthy of the best of celebrations!

Studded with Cranberries and Walnuts

#10 - Cornbread

2009-10-06T12:30:00.000-07:00

The first piece just as it came out of the pan. You can almost smell it, can't you?

This is undoubtedly the best cornbread I have ever made, and quite possibly the best I've ever tasted. I used fresh corn that I had cut from the cob; much better than canned or frozen. The bacon is turkey bacon, to my palate, tastes every bit as good as the fatty one with all the nitrates added.

In the Oven

The Finished Product

This bread was almost a meal in itself. Pair it with a hearty bowl of soup, and you have dinner. I must admit, though I did have just the bread for a meal or two all by itself. This is one I will return to again and again.

Bread # 9 - Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread

2009-09-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

The Finished Loaves

This Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread marks my first loaf after my month-long hiatus from bread baking. The look was a bit rustic, but the flavor was wonderful. It had a hint of sweetness from the cinnamon-sugar swirl in the center of each loaf, but it was not cloyingly sweet. For my money the walnuts were the best part. They were not overpowering, and when you did get one, it was a welcome little mouth surprise. I used halves and did not chop them. I just threw them in right from the freezer. I was a little nervous about now thawing them out first, but the dough was such a strong one, and we were having such hot weather here in San Diego county, that there were no ill-effects from the frozen walnuts.

I also substituted a little more than half the flour with whole wheat. I did not notice the absence of the white flour. I am re-committing myself to using more whole grains and less of the refined.

I'd say this was a fine loaf to come back to.

Ready for the oven.

In the Oven

A little blurry, I know, but it is beautiful nonetheless.

Bread #8 - Cinnamon Buns

2009-09-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon Buns! Right Out of the Oven, These Were Amazing.

I actually made this bread the night before I left for The Odyssey, 2009, which was July 12th. I drove, solo, in my VW Cabrio, and was gone for three weeks, during which time I traveled from San Diego to Seattle and back. I drove up the Pacific Coast through Big Sur (spectacular!) and stayed for two nights in Salinas, where I wallowed in John Steinbeck country. After that I met my daughter in San Francisco for three days of non-stop shopping. While there, I ventured across the Golden Gate Bridge to Mill Valley and Tyler Florence's new store for cooks. He was there! What a gracious and charming man! Check us out:

Tyler Florence and Diane

Then it was on to Portland, Oregon, where I spent 3 days and nights in Powell's Books adding to my cookbook collection. What a great store; definitely worth the trip! I spent the next day driving to eastern Oregon trying to find this really obscure place where I spent many happy summers in the 70s. And I found it! That was really amazing on many levels!

From there, it was on to Seattle, Washington, where I spent the next three days, shopping at Pike's Place, visiting the Space Needle, and finding other bookstores. After that, it was back to Portland for the afternoon, and on to Tillamook, Oregon for the night.

From Tillamook, I took five days to drive home along the Pacific Coastline, stopping at many lighthouses, climbing up to the top (the tallest of which was Point Arena which is 115 feet in the air - 143 steps to the top, and yes I climbed all 143 of them without stopping!).

Another notable mention was having lunch at the Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino. The lunch was one of the best I have ever eaten, but perhaps even more fun was the visit to "The Brickery" in the back, where Marcos bakes their bread every day. Here I am with Marcos in The Brickery.

The Two Bakers - Marcos and Diane

It was an amazing journey!

Now, about the bread:

These cinnamon buns were so good! They seemed to dry out overnight! With a quick reheat, though, they were pretty darn good. I took them with me on my trip, and my friend and I toasted them for an accompaniment to her fabulous salmon dinner she cooked for us.

I left the rest of them for the staff at the hotel in Salinas. They seemed happy about that.

And then there was no baking for over a month!

Ready to Go into the Oven

In the Oven

Bread #7 - Ciabatta

2009-07-14T01:52:00.000-07:00

What a Difference a Starter Makes!

I made my first attempt of the ciabatta using the poolish. I baked it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprayed the bread as the steaming method. The result was soft with virtually no holes. While it tasted fine, I felt like it was a flop because it did not have the texture or the crust that ciabatta is known for. I then made a second dough using the biga instead. I also baked the bread on a pizza stone with the pan of water. Huge difference! Now this is ciabatta! The crust had a pleasant crunch with an interior riddled with those often elusive holes.

Ciabatta: Version 1

Ciabatta, Version 2 - Now that's Ciabatta!

Look at those glorious holes! I served this at a birthday party for a friend, the "Other Diane." We dunked it into Italian wedding soup. Delish!

Bread #6 - Challah

2009-07-03T10:46:00.001-07:00

Behold the Challah!

Maybe it was the six years in Catholic school; I don't know. What I do know is that I cannot tell a lie. So, here's what happened:

I baked the challah out of order! I baked it ahead of the casatiello! Since this is not in keeping with the premise of this challenge, I tried to pretend that I hadn't really made the challah. I just went on to the casatiello, with the intention of slipping in a second version of the challah. Who would know? Uh, huh. In the words of my great art teacher at San Diego Mesa College, Walter Chapman, or as we knew him, "Chappie," when I said to him, "Oh, it's okay if the tails of my yarn are not tucked in to my weaving on the back. No one will know."

To which he replied with a deadpan face, "Diane, the angels will know."

I actually steadfastly deny the existence of angels, but those words of Chappie's mean something far more to me. And that is, that I will know. That sense of conscience is so much a part of me that I can't fudge even a little bit.

So, I made the challah a second time. I made it within the given week for challah; I'm just behind on my blogging. Summer vacation, you know!

What follows, then, is the chronicle of two breads, both named, Challah:

Here is the dough rising for Challah #1:

Challah # 1 rising in my beautiful marigold 75th anniversary celebratory Fiestaware bowl.

After the second rise, I braided it into one glorious loaf:

Challah #1, glistening with an egg wash, ready for the sauna; I mean, oven.

Another shot of this amazing bread. I can't get over how it rose!

Challah #1 in the oven; not quite up to its ideal internal temperature.

Again, behold the glorious Challah!

I know the following photographs are not as clear as they could be (John Oldenkamp, where are you when I need you?) but I wanted everyone to see the texture, the crumb of this bread:

Come on, admit it; you're mouth is watering. Fuzzy pictures or not, you want to slather Challah #1 with butter and sink your teeth into it right now.

And now on to Challah #2:

I made it exactly the same way as Challah #1, except I did a double braid; one larger, one smaller, with the smaller one placed strategically on top. As you can see, however, the smaller one had different plans. Remember Chappie? His answer would have been, "The Indians always had a planned flaw in their artwork because only God is perfect." I like that philosophy.

Challah # 2 rising. The smaller braid is already listing. Drat!

Even with its "planned flaw," Challah #2 has quite a dramatic presence.

Challah #2: Always the Drama Queen!

I'm always telling my good friend, Carole Levin, "I just know that I was Jewish in another life; I have such an affinity with my Jewish friends."

And, I love a good challah as much as the next person, but come on, two loaves in one week? Magnificent as they were with butter, with peach-apricot jam, with orange-apricot marmalade, how much challah can a person eat? And then I remembered the salvation of many a Jewish mother: bread pudding.

I cut up six thick slices of the challah, put them in a baking dish, and poured the custard over. The custard consisted of a quart of non-fat (yes, non-fat - sheesh! how many hours on the elliptical can I do?) milk, whisked gently with 6 eggs, 3/4 cup of Florida Crystals natural sugar, and some freshly grated nutmeg. I then scattered a handful or two of plump raisins throughout and baked it at 350 degrees until it was puffed and golden brown, about an hour or so.

Now, that was something of which the angels would be proud, not to mention Chappie!

Bread #5 - Casatiello

2009-06-29T22:59:00.000-07:00

Casatiello: An Exotic Name for a Dramatic Loaf

When I tasted this bread, I could not believe how good it was. It was such a strange loaf, I thought, when I first read the ingredients. In fact, I thought it was just a variation of the brioche, and so I skipped right over it, and went directly to the challah. Once I realized my faux pas, however, I quickly started to mix the dough for the casatiello. This bread was so foreign to me. In all my years of bread baking, I'd never heard of this exotic loaf, which appears to be the first cousin of the French brioche.

The dough was absolutely fabulous to work with, forming an elastic dough without much effort. This bread had a dramatic rise; quite stunning, actually, both in the bowl and in the oven. But the taste! Ah, the taste! That's what it's all about, isn't it?

Since I don't eat red meat, I substituted turkey bacon for the salami, and used feta cheese. The crumb was tender without being cakey; it was salty, but did not taste like "salt bread," and when spread with peach apricot jam, had that incredible sweet/salty flavor that so many of us crave.

I'll be making this one often!

Ready for the Last Rise.

A Well-Risen Loaf

In the Oven - High Drama!

Right Out of the Oven

What a Beauty!

Can't You Just Taste the Crumb?

Flecks of Turkey Bacon and Feta

Bread #4 - Brioche

2009-06-25T00:57:00.000-07:00

I finally have time to update this blog! I've kept up with all the baking, but with the end of the school year, and our annual 7th Grade Renaissance Faire, this is my first chance to write about it. Not quite on summer vacation yet, but soon, very soon ...

Queen Diane at the Renaissance Faire with One of Her Loyal Subjects.

I had made brioche once before, years ago, and was not impressed. All I can remember was that it was too greasy. As a result, I was a little hesitant when I saw this one on the challenge list. I had made a commitment, however, and so I bravely forged ahead.

I chose to make the Poor Man's Brioche. I chose this version because I just didn't feel like I needed all that butter. I was right. The bread was spectacular! It had a fine crumb and a superb taste. I didn't miss the butter at all.

I also splurged on new brioche baking molds, and I'm glad I did. I bought one large one and four small ones. While the large loaf was impressive in appearance, the smaller ones were far superior in taste. And who doesn't like to have his or her own individual bread? It was sheer perfection with a cup of tea, but next time I'll try it in the true French style with a cafe au lait, complete with the authentic au lait bowl.

Here is the kneaded dough. What a delight to work with this pliable dough!

The risen dough in the larger brioche mold. Impressive!

The risen dough in the smaller molds; very cute.

Behold the finished product! Can't you just see yourself sitting in a Parisian cafe right now?

The larger version.

What an amazing texture! Let them eat cake indeed!

I am again delighted that I have joined this challenge. I may never have attempted brioche again, and think of what I would have been missing! And while my waistline can't afford this extravagant bread as a dietary staple, as an occasional treat, "Let them eat brioche!"

Bread #3 - Bagels

2009-05-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

Not bad looking! And mighty tasty!

Whew! I can finally post about my bagels! It's the end of the school year, so it is totally crazy, bordering on the insane!

I began the bagel adventure with the sponge on Sunday afternoon and had great success with that. Unfortunately, though I only skimmed the recipe and did not see the part about "retarding" the bread in the fridge overnight until late Sunday night. But I really wanted to try a bagel! Ah, ha! I thought ! I'll bake two of them off tonight, retarding the rest for tomorrow. Thankfully it was Memorial Day, so I would have the time.

I boiled and baked the two, finally getting to eat one around midnight. While a bit frumpy in appearance, the taste was unbelievable! Much better than any bagels I've had in a really long time. This was the taste I remembered from my first bagels as a child.

Next morning, I couldn't wait to bake the rest, but I made myself work out first. (It is clear that I need to workout six days a week, if I am to make it through this challenge without turning into the "two tons of fun!")

I thought it would be fun to create a little photo essay of my journey, having been inspired by my fellow "breadonistas."

The first picture is how they looked post "retardation," just coming out of the fridge:

The next one is during the boiling stage:

They reminded me of gigantic dumplings at this stage.

Here they are post boil:

And in the Oven

Fresh and Hot out of the Oven

The finished product, ready to enjoy with a cup of tea:

And then there's the art:

Still Life #1

The roses are from my garden (another passion).

Still Life #2

This was, for me, a truly adventurous bread to make. I had attempted to make bagels once before, more than 25 years ago, and they were such a disaster that I decided I'd rather buy them than go through all that angst again. I therefore made this lastest attempt with a bit of trepidation and was more than a little nervous when they were not looking like some of my fellow BBA challengers' finished products. Thankfully, they looked a lot better when they came out of the oven, and they tasted like the real thing. Since I had baked those two the night before, I could compare them with the ones that had been in the fridge overnight to see if there really was a benefit to the slow rise and retardation. There is. In fact, it is a remarkable difference. They looked way better and had far more flavor too. I'd say the adventure was a resounding success! Given that they were not hard to make at all, I can't imagine settling for those imposter bagels ever again.

I'm beginning to understand Peter Reinhart's "slow rise as metaphor" philosophy. I may have to read that book too. Who knows where that road may lead?

Bread #2 Artos, Christopsomos Version

2009-05-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings! Last night, I baked the Christopsomos, and it was shockingly wonderful! I normally would never choose this bread to make because of the spices, the add-ins, and especially the almond extract. For the most part, I stick to whole grain, crusty boules and baguettes. I'm so glad that I was brave and tried this. It is unbelievably fantastic! And yes, I even used the almond extract.

I started with the poolish at about 1:00 in the afternoon. By the time I got around to the actual bread, it was around 7:00, and the poolish was bubbling away. It had a great texture, too. I had a friend over, so he read the directions aloud to me from the couch. It was perfect; I didn't have to keep checking the recipe. And a special shout out to that friend, Russell, who came up with the name for this blog. Thanks, Russell.

Anyway, I used a combination (approximately half and half) King Arthur bread flour and white whole wheat flour. That proved to be a great combination. It made a silky dough, which allowed me to knead the raisins, dried cranberries and cherries, and the walnuts in after the dough had its initial kneading. I've never had success with this method before, so that is a testament to the dough.

I did not slash the top, but I did mist it three times at five minute intervals, and it rose straight up without spreading out flat, like so many of my breads do. I was incredulous! I kept strolling past the oven door peeking through the glass to see if it had fallen; it didn't. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

After filling my entire house with fragrant, spicy aromas, the bread finally came out of the oven around midnight. I photographed it, let it rest long enough for me to fold a load of clothes, and then I just couldn't stand it another minute. I sliced off the end, spread it with a little butter and enjoyed it with a cup of tea. It was amazing! Perfect texture, amazing flavors (the orange peel, which I zested, using a Microplane, rather than mincing really added a depth) and crunch from the walnuts all contributed to make quite possibly the perfect loaf in that genre of breads.

Bread #1 - Anadama

2009-05-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

This is a very exciting day for me; my first post on my first blog, and I am digging it!

This is the first bread in the BBA challenge. (Bread Baker's Apprentice, based on Peter Reinhart's great book. We are baking our way through the book, one recipe at a time, in order, at the rate of approximately one per week.) I made this one, Anadama bread, twice because the first one wasn't what I thought it should be. I used part whole wheat flour that I had ground from wheat berries, and probably did not use enough, because the texture of the finished loaf didn't hold together too well. I had also used Brer Rabbit molasses, which had a pronounced flavor; great for Boston brown bread; not so much for Anadama.

On a whim, I made a second batch, this time using Grandma's molasses, which is lighter, and King Arthur bread flour. What a difference! This time, the crumb was perfect; soft, but held together well.

I had read on our BBA challenge that this bread made the perfect peanut buter and jelly sandwich. Tuesday night, after a particularly exhilirating night of ballroom dancing, I was ravenous, so I tested out the PB & J theory. They were 100% right! It did make the best PB & J I had ever had.

I have been baking bread for 36 years, and I have never made the Anadama. The cornmeal and the molasses turned me off. Not so in this recipe. Peter Reinhart, in all his brilliance, figured out a way to make the cornmeal give a pleasant texture without being gritty or breaking a tooth. The balance of the sweetness from the molasses was just right too.

Bottom line: this one is a winner to be made on an ongoing basis.

I love the idea of baking the breads in order so much that I decided to to the same thing with soup. I love Rachael Ray's soups, and I love soup; making it; eating it. So, about a year ago, I made a chart on my computer of all of her soups from all of her books in order of copyright. The problem was that I kept making the same few over and over again. So now, I am making each soup, in order, to accompany the breads. I started with a mini-meatball (I used ground chicken and ground chicken sausage) soup, which was delicious.

I love this idea so much, that I have now expanded. I have added Rachael's Big Orange Book, to the challenge. Rather than cook each recipe in order, though, I have taken a recipe from each chapter, and will cook those in order. For example, the first recipe in Chapter 1 is for LA Ballpark hot dogs. The first recipe in Chapter 2 is Baba-Ganoush-Hummus Pasta, and so on. I'll follow this order to create a variety. What fun!

So far, I have made the first three soups on the list, and the "Ball Park Hot Dogs," although I used turkey kielbasa instead of hot dogs. Unbelievably good! And definitely something I would never have made just thumbing through the book.

This will definitely get me out of any cooking ruts!